U.S. corn futures on Monday touched a fresh five-month high on firm export demand, while wheat slumped on profit-taking and slow sales to foreign buyers. Soybeans also advanced on strong export sales in light trading volume ahead of the Christmas holiday, traders said. Corn futures finished near unchanged after the nearby contract rose to its highest level since July. […] Read more
U.S. grains: U.S. corn sets five-month high on rising export demand
CME Group imposes rare halt on wheat futures trading
Chicago | Reuters –– CME Group briefly halted electronic trading in U.S. wheat futures overnight on Thursday, after prices sank 1.6 per cent in one second as concerns about Russian export curbs roiled the market. The 10-second pause represented only the fourth time this year that the world’s largest futures exchange operator has interrupted trading […] Read more
China approves Viptera corn, two types of soybeans
Chicago | Reuters –– A top Chinese government official said the country has approved imports of genetically modified Agrisure Viptera corn and two varieties of biotech soybeans after years of review, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday. Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang said imports of Viptera corn, known as MIR 162, had been approved by […] Read more
Syngenta sees China approving contentious GM corn soon
Chicago | Reuters — Syngenta expects to win Chinese government approval soon for imports of a type of genetically modified corn at the center of lawsuits over U.S. grain shipments rejected by Beijing, a company spokesman said Friday. Syngenta, one of the world’s largest seed companies, will make an announcement when it receives official documentation […] Read more

USDA cuts U.S. corn, soy stocks view on demand hikes
Washington/Chicago | Reuters — Strong demand for U.S corn and soybeans will cut into the abundant domestic supply stockpile by more than expected, according to government data released on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s outlook for tighter corn and soy supplies, issued in a monthly crop report, surprised analysts who expected an increase in […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat drops as fears fade about Russian export limits
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell two per cent on Tuesday as Russia denied it was discussing grain export restrictions, while soybean futures rose for the fifth consecutive session on strong export demand. Corn futures advanced as traders adjusted positions ahead of a monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture report on Wednesday. The wheat […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans top one-week high, corn retreats from gains
Chicago | Reuters — Concerns about tight U.S. soy supplies drove soybean futures to their highest level in more than a week on Monday, while corn futures retreated for the first time in four sessions. Wheat rose on technical and fund-driven buying. Soybeans advanced on strong demand for soymeal and expectations that the U.S. Department […] Read more

U.S. suspends some B.C. poultry imports over avian flu
Chicago | Reuters –– The U.S. has suspended imports of live and raw poultry from British Columbia due to an outbreak of bird flu virus in the province’s Fraser Valley, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief veterinary officer told Reuters on Monday. The restrictions began on Dec. 4, the same day Canada identified the virus […] Read more
U.S. and S. American farmers slow to sell
Reuters — The slow pace of crop sales by farmers that has hurt two of the world’s biggest grain traders will likely stretch into next year, the head of Bunge Ltd said on Thursday. The forecast for sluggish sales from Chief Executive Officer Soren Schroder may mean that Bunge and agribusiness rivals, including Archer Daniels […] Read more

U.S. grains: Markets sink from highest levels in at least six weeks
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures tumbled Friday as traders booked profits after prices climbed to their highest level in at least six weeks. Soybeans retreated from a session high above US$10 a bushel amid expectations that rains next week will improve planting conditions in Brazil, the world’s top exporter of the […] Read more